Molecular basis and biomarkers of disease activity

Endometriosis refers to non-uterine, ectopic localization of endometrial tissue in any other tissue or organ of the body. Establishing an early diagnosis of this complex disease is essential for prompt management in women with endometriosis. Advances in the research have led to identification of a number of noninvasive and/or minimally invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis of endometriosis. However, despite a large number of biomarkers being available, promising results are sparse, and to date, no single biomarker is capable of accurately diagnosing endometriosis which can replace histopathological diagnosis. In this chapter, the authors discuss the potential roles of all the proposed biomarkers in the diagnosis of endometriosis.